Page 114 of An Inconvenient Marriage
“You’ll find out when it’s time for dessert.”
“You’re mean.”
“You’re gorgeous.”
She closed her eyes, and dark, thick lashes fanned her rosy cheeks as her lips curved into a small smile. She shook her head slightly, almost like she couldn’t believe the words.
If she only knew the extent of her beauty. It wasn’t just skin deep. She was pure, and good, and deserved someone exactly like her. Someone who wasn’t plagued by the past, whose soul wasn’t beyond saving.
Someone who wasn’t me.
I gritted my teeth. The mere thought of another man ever touching her had my fingers itching with the need to commit murder. And even though I knew I couldn’t keep her, I was selfish enough to not want to let her go.
But I had to.
Even if watching her walk out of my life would be the death of me.
Needing a different direction for my thoughts, I unscrewed the water bottles and filled up our glasses. “Have I told you how absolutely stunning you look tonight?”
Natalie’s lids parted, and her brilliant-blue stare found mine. “About ten times already.”
“Then hearing it one more time won’t hurt.”
Pulling her glass closer, she took a small sip of water. “I’d rather hear about your day.”
I’d rather hear you scream my name. “Stuck in meetings, like I told you.”And daydreaming about you like a fucking teenage boy.“Did you have fun with your friend?”
“It was so good to see her. We chatted for hours.”
Her face lit up as she continued to tell me about her day and the things she and her friend had talked about. And all I could think was how normal it felt to sit and share these mundane, everyday-life things with her.
Things that usually annoyed the shit out of me, because if a conversation didn’t have a purpose, what was the use of having it? But now I found myself intrigued and invested in the different colors, pencils, and fabric she’d examined and used today.
“… it was eye-opening.” Natalie reached up and toyed with the curls hanging over her shoulder. “So much so that I made a decision. Possibly a life-changing one.”
The way she said it had my blood running cold and my pulse picking up speed. “Oh yeah?”
“Mmhmm.” She rolled her lip over her teeth. “I’m going to try to get a paid internship with a well-known designer.”
Thank fuck. I had to suppress my sigh of relief. For a second there, I thought she was already leaving me. Reaching across the table, I put my hand on hers. “That’s great news.”
She beamed, and my fucking heart stuttered.
Leaning back, I cleared my throat. “And when is this happening?”
“Tomorrow?”
Shit. Tomorrow already? That didn’t give me enough time to set up the security detail I’d wanted for her. I’d only just had meetings with the different companies and hadn’t decided which one I wanted to use yet.
But I also didn’t want to keep her from pursuing her dreams. That’s what her bastard of a father had done, and I’d be damned if I did the same. I just had to find a way to keep her safe tomorrow.
“This happened fast.” Scraping a palm over the back of my neck, I added, “How are you going to get there? Will Everlee take you?”
I hoped like hell she was.
But Natalie dashed that hope when she gave me a puzzled look and simply said, “Uber.”
The hell you are.
